New Zealand
03 545 0877
News & Seminars
Test Your Knowledge
Q1. At the last minute, after all Christmas/New Year’s leave for staff was finalised, one of your employees requested annual leave for 27 – 29 December 2017, which you declined. The employee then texts you on the morning of 27 December to say they ate too much Christmas fare and are not well enough to come to work.
Personal Liability for Employment Breaches
Most business owners, directors, managers and employees are unaware that they can be personally liable for penalties and the payment of legislative entitlements. A person who incites, instigates, aids, or abets any breach of an employment agreement is personally liable for a penalty of $10,000 for each breach.
No Personal Grievances for High Earners?
A Private Members Bill, ‘The Employment Relations (Allowing Higher Earners to Contract Out of Personal Grievance Provisions) Amendment Bill’, had its second reading in parliament yesterday, although this was interrupted by a number of speeches.
Free Pop-Up Breakfasts - Blenheim
The Labour / New Zealand First coalition agreement has already given us a significant increase to the minimum wage by 2020. The coalition parties’ manifestos are an indication of the further changes likely to affect businesses. In addition to the industrial relations changes, the impact of immigration changes and the legalisation of cannabis use (with the impact on health and safety at work) are only two of the other areas that may have an affect.
Farm Owner Penalised for Failing to Pay his Farm Manager's Wife
During the second season Caroline Harrison worked on a casual basis for Dairy Farm owners Arthur and Diane Boyte. She stepped in to do the work of farm manager for six weeks. Her husband Kevin had been employed to do the work but he had a motorbike accident in mid-2016, preventing him from working. The Boytes refused to pay Caroline for the six weeks' work. Not surprisingly a personal grievance was raised.
Trial Periods Under Threat
Labour’s first 100 day plan includes significant changes to the 90 day trial period. Currently an employee engaged on a trial period is barred from raising a personal grievance for unjustified dismissal, however Labour plans to change this.
Employer Owes $2.4 Million To Employees
In a recent investigation into wage payment irregularities at SOE Landcorp, the Labour Inspector found significant issues. The Inspector determined that over the last seven years Landcorp had been incorrectly calculating the entitlements of approximately 1,400 employees.
Minimum Wage Increase is Just the Beginning
The minimum wage is increasing. It already feels like old news, particularly in view of the stream of new government announcements. However, that is just the start of measures likely to increase wage costs. The Labour led government has also stated they will change the Equal Pay Bill the previous National government had proposed to prevent a case similar to the $2b aged care workers’ settlement. They are also introducing ‘Fair Pay Agreements’ which will set out minimum employment conditions across industries and sectors for terms such as wages, allowances, weekend and night rates, hours of work and leave arrangements. It sounds like reverting to old Award days to me.
"Confrontational" Parking Warden Ordered to Pay $11,500
The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) ordered Yoon Cheol Hong to pay Auckland Transport (AT) $11,500 following a determination that found Mr Hong was not unjustifiably dismissed from his job as an Auckland Transport parking officer, neither was he unjustifiably disadvantaged before his dismissal.